'You'll be fine, I promise..!'

Byleth jumped violently as Seteth put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and reached out to open the door to the Cathedral.

'I didn't hear you approach!' Byleth whispered breathlessly.

'I saw you making your way across the causeway from my window.' Seteth told her kindly. 'You were walking so slowly, not your usual determined march. I figured you might appreciate some moral support.'

'Well, I'm sure that the Goddess wouldn't want to risk smiting the right-hand of the Archbishop, just because he's stood too close to an infidel.' Byleth agreed.

Seteth chuckled. 'Ready?' He asked.

'I don't know why I'm so nervous.' Byleth nodded, cross with herself.

'Hmm. Well, Jeralt did say that he kept you away from churches generally.' Seteth mused. 'I wonder if he might have told you some colourful tales to ensure your obedience?'

'I don't really recall much detail from my childhood.' Byleth still hadn't moved. 'It's highly likely, though. Dad does love a good horror story around the campfire...'

'Together then?' Seteth prompted gently, taking her slightly trembling hand in his own cool one.

'Thanks.' Byleth smiled wanly at him. 'I refuse to let this fear get the better of me.' She added squeezing his hand, then letting go of it and striding forward through the door decisively.

Byleth's first feeling upon crossing the threshold was awe. Although she had gathered that the space inside must be huge, when she walked in and witnessed first-hand the sheer size of the place, she was speechless. A warmth and calmness settled over her mind, and her shoulders relaxed as she stared at the spectacle, trying to take in the unfamiliar environment.

'It's quite something, isn't it?' Seteth murmured from behind her. She could only nod her agreement. 'I'll give you some space to have a good look around. Unless you want me to stay.'

'Thanks, but I really don't want to take up your time.'

'I will always make time for you.' Seteth winced at his words. 'Apologies, that sounded rather...'

'Kind.' Byleth said firmly.

Seteth bowed to her and turned quickly to hurry away, hoping she hadn't caught the flush creeping up to his face at his awkwardness. He was hugely relieved that Flayn hadn't been around to witness that one.

Byleth started to move forward down the aisle that separated the pews and towards the grandiose altar at the front. Immediately she spotted Ashe, his head bowed, seated in one of the front rows. She considered her options for a brief moment and then approached him quietly.

'May I sit with you?' Byleth asked, startling the lad who looked up and then blushed heavily.

'Oh! Hello Professor!' It was impossible not to notice the tear-tracks that had winded a path down through his freckles. 'Please, sit!' He added, shuffling along the bench even though there was a vast amount of room on either side of him.

'How are you doing?' She asked as she placed herself down next to him.

'Well, you know.' Ashe sniffed. 'Trying to make some sense as to what happened with Lord Lonato.'

'Of course.' Byleth felt horribly out of her depth at his obvious deep sorrow. She struggled to think of something to say, and then remembered Seteth taking her hand and the feeling of reassurance she had taken from it. She reached out to Ashe. If anything, the boy turned an even deeper shade of red when she gently linked her fingers with his.

'He might actually explode...' Sothis commented, suddenly looming large in Byleth's consciousness and flooding everything else into a familiar detachment. 'What would you even call that shade of red anyway? It's almost purple!'

'I honestly can't believe that Lonato would forsake the church...' Byleth realised that Ashe was speaking, and she refocused her attention on him.

'It's hard to understand people's motivations sometimes.' Byleth replied carefully. 'Nobody can fathom exactly what happened just yet.'

'I know.' Ashe agreed. 'Just as I know that when he dismissed both you and Prince Dimitri in your attempt to resolve the situation - he was deadly serious in his intention to get through us by any means necessary.'

'Is that why you chose to stop him?' Byleth asked.

Ashe nodded unhappily. 'He has always been so kind and reasonable, I hardly recognised the man that we met.' He explained. 'I could not stand by and allow him to threaten the safety of my classmates. I couldn't believe how he was using the villagers either. Both things would have shamed him if he ever came to his senses.'

'I understand that your siblings will be arriving soon.' Byleth attempted to subtly change the subject as another tear rolled down Ashe's face.

'Yes!' Ashe managed to raise a genuine smile at that. 'The gatekeeper, Myles, took me to meet his adoptive parents. The ones that will be taking on my brother and sister. They are really nice people!'

'When will they arrive?'

'Tomorrow!' Ashe wiped his wet cheeks. 'I have been excused from class, and Myles is taking me down to await them.'

'I'm sure it will do you a world of good to be united. Siblings are great!' Byleth said enthusiastically.

'I'm worried about what exactly to tell them, but Myles said that his Ma is really good at that kind of thing so I shouldn't get too concerned. He has been really kind.' Ashe beamed.

'He's that sort of guy.' Byleth agreed.

'Um, Professor...' Ashe flushed again as he squeezed her hand shyly. 'I am bringing my siblings up to the Monastery on Saturday. Would it be alright to introduce them to you? They have been so excited hearing about you in my letters home. I am sure that they would be over the moon to actually get to say hello in person.'

'Oh!' Byleth looked confused. 'I thought you told me when we first met that the Ashen Demon coming to get them was a threat used to make children behave! Are you sure they would want to meet me?'

Ashe chuckled. 'I did say that didn't I!' He remembered. 'Well, it was true, but then whoever made that story up obviously didn't know you at all.

'I would love to meet them,' Byleth agreed. 'If you're sure it won't scare them.'

'Thank you, Professor.' Ashe said earnestly.

They fell into an easy silence for a few moments, although Byleth was wondering how she could take back her hand without hurting the boy's feelings.

'You do worry yourself over some strange things.' Sothis noted.

'Is that right? Well, I have been worrying a lot about YOU just lately.' Byleth pointed out. 'Have you been feeling unwell? I have been quite unable to rouse you over the last few days.'

'I have been thinking...' Sothis replied.

'About?'

'Us.'

'I don't think I have ever seen you here at the Cathedral before Professor.' Ashe spoke up suddenly. 'I spend quite a bit of time in here. Moreso since what happened with Lonato.'

'This is my first visit.' Byleth told him. 'It's quite magnificent, isn't it!'

'I find it peaceful.' Ashe said softly. 'The feeling here, all the people praying... it can be moving. When the choir starts up as well, it is lovely.'

'I hope I get to hear them as well.' Byleth gently let go of his hand. 'I was planning on having a good look around while I am here.' She added. 'Is there anywhere you would recommend?'

'You should visit the statues of the four saints over in the far corner.' Ashe nodded to what appeared to be an alcove. 'Ignatz has spent a fair bit of time in there studying their forms. He does love art, of any kind!'

'I will definitely go and have a look then.'

'Thank you for coming and talking with me, Professor.' Ashe said quietly. 'Everyone has been so very kind.'

'You can call on me at any time, Ashe. Don't be afraid to ask for company if you need it.' Byleth stood up and dusted down the back of her dress.

'Okay.' He nodded at her shyly.

'He is such a sweet boy.' Sothis remarked as they moved away and went closer to the altar to have a look at the area.

'He is.' Byleth agreed. 'Now, don't keep me in suspense, Sothis. What's been going on?'

'Not much...'

'Sothis!'

'Ah, well...' There was a sigh that reverberated all the way around Byleth's head. 'I made an observation when we started traveling for the last mission, and I have taken a bit of time to think about it.' She said heavily.

'Did the number of divine pulse spell's that we used affect you as badly as it did me?' Byleth guessed.

'Kind of.' They had moved to the alcove that Ashe had pointed them towards. Sothis sighed again. 'This place, the church... it is different, you know. There IS a power here.'

'The power of you?' Byleth asked with an edge of sarcasm.

'Don't mock me, child!' Sothis demanded in annoyance. 'No, it's NOT the power of me... I think it is just as the freckled boy said. It's the power of many coming together and joining in their faith.'

'Sort of like energy then?' Byleth queried.

'Yes. That is a good way to describe it.' Sothis agreed. 'It feeds me. It makes me feel stronger.'

'That's a good thing.' Byleth noted.

'Yes.'

The conversation paused as Byleth took in the four statues of the saints.

'They look quite fearsome!' She remarked.

'They look familiar.' Sothis sounded like she was frowning.

'Indech, Macuil, Cichol, and Cethleann.' Byleth read from the plinth plaques. 'Ring any bells?'

'Not really.' Sothis sighed deeply yet again. 'It is extremely frustrating.' She moaned. 'I know that I have forgotten something important, but I just cannot bring it to my mind. Even here.'

'Well if you ARE the Goddess, then it stands to reason you would probably know the saints, even if you don't remember them.' Byleth pointed out.

'I suppose.'

'Wow, Sothis. You really are in a grump today. Did you get out of the wrong side of the bed?'

'And you are acting extremely irreverently and childish.' Sothis accused. 'You should learn some respect!'

'I dunno why I missed having you around so much.' Byleth grunted.

There was silence. Byleth sat herself down on the floor of the alcove and rested her head against the foot of one of the saints. That was probably irreverent too, she thought belligerently.

'I'm sorry.' Sothis' voice was very quiet. 'I think I have realised something that disturbs me a great deal. I just don't know how to explain it or what it could mean.'

'Just say it.' Byleth advised. 'It's easier that way, and to be honest, I can feel your worry too. We may as well be frank.'

'I think I may be some sort of parasite.' Sothis said. 'I think I am responsible for your emotionless state, and I hate it!'

'Okay. That's a bold statement.' Byleth was glad she was sat down.

'I noticed about a day after we left the monastery for the last mission that I was feeling weaker in general, and I started to pull greater amounts of energy from you than I had in a long time. Only it isn't physical energy, it is you - I take your feelings and emotions. Since we arrived here, I haven't relied on you so much since there is energy externally to sustain me if I am careful... but away from this place – it is quite impossible to control.'

'Are you sure?' Byleth asked baldly. 'I can't say that I noticed anything amiss.'

'I think you are used to it.' Sothis replied sadly. 'I can remember your whole life Byleth, from a babe to today, even though I don't remember anything at all from before your birth. I felt the things that you did not as I slept within you. You made it possible for me to grow and become aware of myself, but I fear now that it was at the cost of your own sense of self..'

'I only remember you from when MY dreams began. A few months before we came here.' Byleth stated. 'I have no recollection of you being with me before then.'

'Yet I was.'

'Even if what you say is true, I don't see that it is a problem.' Byleth said stoically. 'We are what we are, I guess.'

'No!' Sothis barked. 'Allowing myself to withdraw and exist ONLY on the energy of the monastery since we returned – I have seen how the last few days have been for you, Byleth. You have smiled and laughed. You even hugged your father for the first time since you were a child. You have been happy...'

'As happy as I could be while missing having you around.' Byleth replied seriously. 'There were so many times I wished you were there to comment on things... did you happen to see my training session with Jeritza?'

'Oh yeah!' Sothis sniggered. 'You REALLY enjoyed that, didn't you!'

'Heh, he IS extremely cute in a moody, grouchy kinda way!' Byleth agreed.

'Let's not forget that he is ALSO unstable and potentially very dangerous...' Sothis pointed out.

'Huh, well...Nobodies perfect...'

'You REALLY need me, don't you.' Sothis chuckled.

'I have a not-date with him Thursday...' Byleth tempted her.

'You will have most likely become desensitised to your stronger feelings again by then if I stick around, and I am correct in my assumptions.' Sothis pointed out.

'Ah well, Probably a good thing. For him, at least!'

'While we are here at the monastery, I can keep using residual energy to maintain myself, but manifesting to you takes up so much power and forces me into stealing from you as well.' Sothis sighed. 'How do you feel about being stuck here forever, Byleth?'

'Not something I've considered.' Byleth admitted. 'We need more than just a suspicion to go on, though. Maybe you have affected me over the years, but we are working together now. We are a team. That is new.'

'You don't hate the fact that I might be nothing more than a leech?' Sothis asked, her voice horribly vulnerable.

'Like I pointed out about my favourite handsome and charismatic murderer... Nobodies perfect.' Byleth shrugged. 'Anyway, it is all supposition. Let's look for some more answers before we start to panic.'

'But what if we can't find any?' Sothis wailed.

'Well, then I guess you're just stuck with me! Either as an emotionless demon mercenary away from this place OR as a slightly more feeling Professor in it!' Byleth grinned.

'Lets get working on finding answers soon then!'